Photoresist is commonly used as a mask during ion-assisted plasma etch operations. For etches of silicon, silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, and other metallic and non-metallic compounds, photoresist displays sufficient durability and stability. However, when used to mask certain metals such as aluminum or tungsten during ion-assisted plasma etches, photoresist is eroded rapidly, develops a reticulate or shrivelled appearance, and becomes unstable to the point that it will flow.
Some six or seven years ago, it was discovered that the addition of silicon tetrachloride to halogenated plasmas tends to enhance the durability of photoresist during etch operations by causing an ongoing deposition of a silicon-containing film on the surface of the photoresist during the etch operation. Since the film is etched away at a rate considerably faster than the rate at which it is deposited, photoresist erosion is reduced. Erosion on sidewalls of photoresist mask segments is reduced significantly more than erosion on the tops of the segments. This means that mask pattern shrinkage is slowed, resulting in more accurate pattern transfers to the underlying layer. Although silicon tetrachloride retards erosion of the photoresist, it has little effect on the etch rate of the masked layer. Although silicon tetrachloride significantly improves the performance of photoresist during ion-assisted plasma etches, erosion, reticulation and flowing are still significant problems.